LinkedIn passed 100 million members in early 2011. For Triad professional service firms, it is the single highest-leverage social platform because the audience is exactly the decision-maker mix that hires attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, and consultants.
Profile Versus Company Page: Use Both
Your personal LinkedIn profile is your professional resume and the network that drives most engagement. Your firm's Company Page is the corporate identity prospects research after they hear your name. Both should be complete, current, and consistent.
The Personal Profile Elements That Drive Inquiries
- →Headline beyond your job title: "Helping Triad business owners protect personal assets through estate planning" beats "Partner at Smith Law."
- →Professional photo: Not a vacation cropped shot. A real headshot signals you take the platform seriously.
- →Summary written for prospects, not employers: Three short paragraphs covering who you serve, what problem you solve, and how to reach you.
- →Recommendations from real Triad clients and colleagues: Aim for at least 8 to 12 across your career.
- →Custom URL: linkedin.com/in/yourname is far more memorable than the default random string.
How to Build a Useful Network
- →Connect with everyone you have actually met: Past clients, opposing counsel, accountants who refer you, chamber acquaintances. The compounding effect over 12 months is significant.
- →Personalize every connection request: "Enjoyed your panel at the Greensboro Chamber breakfast last week" outperforms the default LinkedIn template by an order of magnitude.
- →Join Triad-specific groups: Greensboro Chamber Network, Winston-Salem Business Network, Triad Young Professionals.
What to Post and How Often
Two to four posts a week is plenty. Useful is the key word. A short observation about a recent ruling that affects Triad small businesses, a link to an article you wrote, a photo from a chamber event you attended. Avoid pure self-promotion. The professional audience tunes it out.
The LinkedIn Search Habit Worth Building
Once a week, search LinkedIn for the kind of prospect you want to meet. "CFO" in "Greensboro, NC" returns hundreds of results. Look for second-degree connections, ask the mutual contact for an introduction, and meet for coffee. A High Point business consultant we work with has built 40 percent of his current book of business this way over three years.
Read our companion pieces on Facebook for Triad businesses and Twitter for Triad local businesses, or have our digital marketing agency build your full social strategy.